Melbourne musician Pano Eli Russo threw Joel Verth ‘under a bus’ after Bitcoin drug import plot

A Melbourne muso who lives off a fat inheritance manipulated his vulnerable mate into taking the fall for a $20,000 party drug import racket.

Melbourne musician Pano Eli Russo (pictured) told a court he was responsible for importing drugs but only after his mate Joel Verth took the fall. Facebook.

A Melbourne man who lived a vagrant festival lifestyle while funded by a “very large” inheritance let his mate take the fall for a $20,000 Bitcoin drug import plot.

Musician Pano Eli Russo took the stand during a plea hearing for “patsy” Joel Verth and told the court he orchestrated a scheme to import party drugs in late-2022.

Verth, 25, fronted the County Court on Friday after pleading guilty to attempting to import a commercial quantity of synthetic ecstasy substitute 2C-B.

Australian Federal Police seized a kilo of 2C-B and 700 grams of Ketamine then raided Verth’s Footscray home on January 9 last year.

The court heard the drugs were mailed to Melbourne via Vienna and hidden in candles.

The package was addressed to Verth’s home but a phone number for a Geelong cafe was included in the delivery details.

Authorities swapped the drugs out before an AFP member disguised as a United Postal Service employee delivered the package to Verth.

Verth, who gave a “no comment” interview, was arrested about 45 minutes later.

However, Eli Russo admitted masterminding the racket after successfully obtaining a court certificate which protected his testimony being used as evidence.

Eli Russo, a musician, told Friday’s plea hearing he rang Verth in late-2022 and asked if he could receive a “post”.

Joel Verth

“I asked Joel if the post could be sent to his house, he agreed, I intentionally avoided mentioning anything as to the nature of the package as I knew that if I did this Joel would not have agreed to receive my post …,” Eli Russo said.

“I was intentionally manipulative … (I) avoided mentioning that there was going to be drugs in the mail …”

Eli Russo, who said he met Verth while the pair studied at Melbourne University, said the drug plot commenced after he met a “Dutchman at a party”.

Eli Russo, who appeared with a barrister, said he paid $20,000 in Bitcoin to secure the deal.

“My intention when trafficking this large amount of drugs was to make available a substance with a lower harm profile than the majority of party drugs ..,” Eli Russo said.

Eli Russo, a pseudo academic who said he was in a decriminalise drug group at uni, said his expertise came via “personal experience and research”.

“There’s peer reviewed studies which show 2C-B has never been associated with a single death worldwide, the same cannot be said for MDMA …

Eli Russo said he travels on a “very large” inheritance.

“My intention was to … to reduce harm, I understand this was a very foolish and naive way of going about that …”

Eli Russo said Verth messaged him when the package arrived but he heard later his mate had been arrested.

“I freaked out … my initial intention was to seek out the prosecutor and explain I was the origin of this situation and hoped I would be prosecuted in place of Joel …

“I did not (do that) … I contacted a lawyer, it was my understanding I could somehow negotiate a deal where I could be somehow prosecuted and Joel would not …

“This is the best I can do to clean up some of the mess I have made, I still question whether had I handed myself in Joel might be living a normal life …

Eli Russo copped a grilling from the prosecutor who said the muso believed he used Verth as a “patsy”.

Eli Russo told the court he manipulated Verth.

“I intended to pick up the package, take it away and continue to keep (Verth) in the dark because I can assure you nobody enjoys having 1.7kg of narcotics sent to their house without their express knowledge of it …,” Eli Russo said.

“You’ve effectively thrown a good friend under a bus,” the prosecution submitted.

“You’ve engaged in conduct where you know there’s an enormous risk that he’s going to get in trouble for your conduct …

“Do you accept that reflects very badly on … your credibility …”

“Yes I do,” Eli Russo responded.

“What I suggest is you’ve behaved entirely dishonestly …,” the prosecution submitted.

“I suggest that you’re good at expressing yourself in a manner which is deceptive …”

“I’ve been taught a very long lesson of shame … I acknowledge that my behaviour was abysmal, zero out of 10 …,” Eli Russo said.

Eli Russo told the court he researched party drugs.

“You have the protection of the certificate … you’re aware none of what you say can be used to prosecute you in relation to your alleged drug importation …,” the prosecution submitted.

“Talk is cheap in this context …”

“If there is a circumstance where Joel cannot be the owner of my actions where I could essentially be responsible for what I’ve done …,” Eli Russo said.

“I understand … that is not possible but I would go to jail as a moral imperative …”

“Can I suggest to you if you’ve gone to the federal police and told them about your involvement, you wouldn't have had any protection necessarily from incriminating yourself there would you,” the prosecution submitted.

“You didn’t do that; rather you’ve come to court now and given this story to support your friend …”

Verth, who the court heard was “susceptible to the influence of others in order to gain approval or friendship” and whose closest friend is his dog, will be sentenced at a later date.